Resilient wheel.



W. H. RANDALL.

RBSILIENT WHEEL.

AAAAAAAA ION FILED 0m 17 1911 1,121,665. PatentedDec.22,l9l-4.

their outer ends with the same section; as

. or hangers 2.

{:WILLIAM HENRY RANDALL, 0IE.KANSAS CITY, 1 :A :L\Tsies.

anslnrnnr WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern." v

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY RAN- DALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kansas City, in-the county of Wyandotte and. State of Kansas, have in vented anew and Improved Resilient Wheel, of which the following is a full, clear," an

exact description. 1

My invention comprehends a resilient wheel, and the principal object thereof is to provide a new and improved-construction in Reference is to be had to the accompany-f ing drawings forming a part of this speci: fication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding figures. v

Figure 1 is a side view of the wheel partly in section; Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof on the line 22 of F ig. 1; Fig.8 is an end view of one of the adjacent rim sections; and Fig. 4 is a partial. vertical sectional view, showing the method of connection, part of which is illustrated in Fig. 3.

The wheel is made up of a hub 1, a plurality of resilient spokes or hangers 2 together with a suitable rim 3, all of the parts being suitably held together, whereby j a compactand efficient structure is provided.

The hub 1 comprises a body portion having an opening 4 extending longitudinally thereof, adapted to'engage one end of any, suitable axle 5, the hub being also provided with a plurality of recesses or openingst suitably spaced therearound, adapted to receive the inner. ends'of the resllient spokes Fig. 1, it is to be noted that the hub is provided with'a number of longitudinally-extending pins 7, which in this instance are 12 in number; the pins pass through the recesses or openings 6, shown in Fig.2, whereby three. hangers or spokes .are supported on each pin.

The rim 8 is shown made up of twelve sections, each of which is 30 of the circumference, the sections being equal in number to the pins 7,-and each section beingin engagement with the outer ends of the spokes 2, the spokes which are in engagement with any one pin, all being in engagement at Specification of Letterslatent. 1

parts in all the Referring particularly to- PatentedDec. 22, 1914..

Application filed 0ctober17, 1911. Serial No. 655,141.

shownzin Fig. 1, each pin. supports three spokes, and'each section of the rim is in engagement with the outer ends of these spokes, although, of course, 'it is clear that the number "of spokes from each pin could be'varied,"the inventive idea residing in the relation of the parts and not in the particular number thereof.

In order to provide for .suiiicient resiliency.

as the wheel rolls over the ground, and to enable the shocks due to unevenness thereof tobe suitably taken up, each of the spokes 2 is' ourved, as shown in Fig. 1, the curvature of eachspoke being substantially identical with the curvature of every other spoke.

Referring particularly to' Figs. 3 and 4,

each section 8 of the rim is provided at one end thereof with tongues 9, these tongues being adapted to engage in openings 10 in the end of an adjacent section, all of the sections when thus joined together constituting the rim proper. In Fig. 2 this rim is shown in section and made up of the curved side portions 15 with the intermediate downwardly extending portion 14, the

outer ends of the spokes 2 being threaded as at 16 and provided with lock nuts 17 adapted, to engage on opposite sides of the rim whereby these parts'are positioned.

In order to provide a suitable pocket or retaining means for a tire, such as a resilient one 11, I provide the construction shown especially in Fig. 2 which embodies the converging side portions v13 shaped to conform to. the curvature of the rim 14, 15, together with the intermediate partition 12; the re silient tire 11 is seated between the outer ends of the converging side portions 13 and thepartitionwhereby it is held in position in a structure resembling a pocket. These side'portions 13 are secured in position to the tire sections by any means, such as bolts and nuts 20*.

Referring particularly to Fig.1 it will be noted that where the outer end of each third spoke passes into engagement with the,

rim one of the" converging sides 13 is cut away as at 21 to' permit entrance of they spoke.

.WVhen the wheel is in use supported on a suitable axle, shocks due to unevenness in the road as the wheel passes thereover will be takenup by the resilient spokes, due to their peculiar. construction, and when any one section of the run is bearing against the ground tending to support the weight rest- Q r r r 1,121,665

ing 'olnythe this Weight Carried by three spokes Which in turn are supported on a single pin. Such a construction provides that the load on the axle Will be successively distributed at diametrically opposite points I as the Wheel rolls over the ground, any

movementor displacement of the rim being taken up by all of the spokes. The material ofvvhich the hub and spokes is made Will depend primarily on the ultimate cost of the Wheel desired, such changes and those in finish and workmanship being largely V matters of choice and expediency.

' having peripheral recesses, curved resilient spokes pivoted in the recesses of the hub, a substantially U-shaped rim formed of sections detachably secured together and to which the outer endsof thespokes are detachably secured, a tire seat resting upon.

the upper edges of the rim and" having outwardly and inwardly extending members,

the inwardly extending r members being curved and fittingupon the sides of said .I

rim, and bolts passing through the members ofthe tire seat and the rim.

2. A resilient Wheel, comprising a hub having peripheral recesses arranged in rows extendinglongitudinally of theihub, a substantially U-shaped rim formed of segments detachably secured together, curved resilient spokes having their inner ends pivoted in the recesses oi? the hub and having threadedouter ends projecting into the rim and provided With v nuts engaging opposlte sides of said'rim the spokes of each row of recesses being secured to the 'same'section of the rim, and a'tire seatseoured on the said rim.

In testimony whereof two subscribing itnesses.

4 Witnessesz LQ E. MILLER, J. V. F rm.

copies at this patent may be obtained' for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

washingtomnc." w l 3 v I have signed my 7 name to this Specification in the presence of WILLIAM HENRY RANDALL, 

